In what ways should city and community leaders work to improve your community in 2014? Are there specific areas you'd like to see them work on?

Marna Irby, Richardson: As a retired teacher, I’d like to see the community leaders more involved in the schools our children should be our No. 1 priority. Having said that, I must add that quality teachers are a must, but also, we must support these teachers, whose job does not end with classroom hours. More parents involvement could make a vast difference.

This is where community leaders can have an impact by emphasizing the importance of team effort of all concerned.

Liz Michael, Preston Trail in Far North Dallas: My neighborhood’s top priority is excessive, beyond-the-speed-limit traffic. We are a cut-through for the Dallas North Tollway. Moreover, our neighborhood has no sidewalks for those who walk or jog, or push strollers. Our homeowners association has tried to help, but our city representatives also need to see the potential danger. Hopefully progress will be made in 2014.

Mary Natho, Lake Highlands: The fire and police and garbage folks get good marks. But it seems when streets are redone in new asphalt and stripes get painted, within a short time, pot holes appear again, too soon, as if the paving mixture must be questioned. Then a section has to be closed off yet again for the fix.

Larry Mendolia, Lake Highlands: Our last few mayors and city councils, including the current one, have focused much of their efforts and energy to various “signature” projects, like the deck park, the Calatrava bridge, and now the city golf course where virtually no citizen of Dallas can afford to play. Their approach has always been the same ... “Dallas would be a great city if only we had ...”, as if they have some inferiority complex. All of these projects have been designed to attract new business and people to Dallas. I would like to see our civic and community leaders put these signature projects aside, and focus more on things that would make the living conditions of the current citizens of Dallas better, and make Dallas a better place in which to live. Increase the pay of our police and firfighters, and give them the latest and best equipment and facilities to help them protect us. Work to reduce crime in our city, especially residential neighborhood crime such as assault, burglary of home or vehicles and vandalism. More funds to improve city services, such as road and infrastructure repair and maintenance and code compliance. Increase funding for our libraries, to increase operating hours, personnel and book inventory. More funding to programs to help the homeless and hungry in our city. Innovative thinking and funding to our city animal shelter, to reduce or eliminate the number of animals that have to be killed, and instead develop innovative programs to find them new homes. If such programs as these were the main focus of our leadership, instead of the next “newest and shiniest” boondoggle, it would benefit everyone in Dallas. Sadly, I see no interest from our leaders to do this.

Linda Vaughn, Richardson: Richardson is a great city in which to live. We have good city management, great police and fire departments and a very good library. There are, however, things which could be improved. The downtown area is an embarrassment. It is a jumble of tacky buildings and the ugly concrete planter boxes really need to go. I know there is a plan in the works to improve the main street corridor; it can’t happen soon enough. We need more upscale retail and restaurants, especially on the east side. The old Albertson’s shopping center at Plano and Belt Line roads needs to be either renovated or demolished and completely rebuilt.

Eric Strull, Far North Dallas: The LBJ Project is foremost on my mind in 2014. Driving Interstate 635 every day reminds me of the strength and fortitude of the human beings building the Texas Express lanes. I would want our city and community leaders to ensure that workers on the LBJ are properly compensated for such a huge project and that they are given well-deserved time off so that they may complete this massive undertaking by 2015.

Steve McCluer, Far North Dallas: Several of our homeowners’ associations have jointly asked the city of Dallas to help us form a CERT team Community Emergency Response Team. Neighbors helping neighbors when emergency responders can’t get there in time (think West, Texas, explosion or Granbury tornado). Unfortunately we can’t get the city to return our calls.

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